JUNGLE SAFARI

Nepal's tourist attractions are not only limited for adventurous activities in the Himalayas and its diverse cultural heritage tours but also popular for jungle safari trips in the southern Terai lowland. 18 percent of the land in Nepal is covered by national parks or wildlife reserves. The southern lowland, locally known as "Terai”, is covered with dense tropical jungles teeming with diverse wildlife and exotic birds. Here, you will find some of the exciting safari destinations in the world. Among the 14 national parks and wildlife reserves in Nepal, the Chitwan National Park (967 sq.km), Bardia National Park (968sq.km) and Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (175 sq.km) are the most popular safari destinations. These Parks and Reserves are homes to many rare flora and fauna. Safari trip in Nepal would be an unforgettable experience of a lifetime.

Chitwan National Park:
It is the most popular National Park of Nepal and the richest wildlife reserve in Asia, situated in the lowland Terai with an area of 932 sq. km. This park includes areas of the Siwalik range covered by dense Sal forest and carpeted with grass, savannah and riverine vegetation. The park is the home to more than 450 endangered Asian one- horned rhinoceros and harbours one of the largest populations of the exclusive and rare Royal Bengal tiger. Besides, there are 4 species of deer, leopards, langurs, sloth bears, wild boars, rhesus monkeys and wild dogs. Gharial and marsh mugger crocodiles are also found in the river water. The unique birds which number over 450 species include cormorants, egrets, storks, geese, jungle fowl, kingfishers along with some endangered species such as Bengal florician, Lesser florician etc. This makes the park a true birdwatcher's paradise.

Bardia National Park:
It is one of the largest and least spoiled wilderness areas in the Terai, covering an area of 968 sq. km. The park is densely forested by Sal trees and carpeted with grass, savannah and reverine vegetation. The park has been home for endangered species like the rhinoceros, wild elephant, tiger, swamp deer, black buck, glacial, crocodile and Gangetic dolphin Endangered birds include the Bengal Florican, lesser florican, silver- eared mesia and sarus crane.

Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve:
This is the smallest (175 sq.km.) and newly promoted wildlife reserve for safari trip in Nepal's sub- tropical Terai belt. But still, it is the largest wetland area (Ramsar site) in Nepal, draining 7 major rivers from the great Himalayan belt into the Sapta Koshi (7 Rivers). The reserve provides the best adventure of spotting fresh water dolphins. The habitat is a combination of scrub grassland and deciduous riverine forest, with over 280 species of birds recorded so far, including 20 species of duck, ibises, black- necked storks, Indian skimmer, swamp francolin, herons, egrets, Bengal floricans and many other exotic and migratory waterfowl not found elsewhere in Nepal.